Usually libraries collect already published books. But let’s ask a question, using the history of literature in 20th century USSR as example. Do the works of fiction that were published in USSR include the best novels, the best poems, and the most innovative ideas? Often the answer is no. During this time, many of Russia's most talented and influential writers were unable to publish their best works, or even any works at all.
But many works remained only in manuscript forms. Or they were not even written down. Instead, friends memorized them and wrote down many years later. But the very best literary works were not even written down. They remained in writers’ heads. As plans. And perhaps even as detailed outlines or finished parts—which the authors never committed to papers in fear, or simply knowing that they would never be published in USSR.
This history is the background for Library of Unwritten Manuscripts series. It is an imaginary library that only houses writers’ manuscripts of literary works that were either 1) never published, 2) never completed, or 3) never written down.
The images show imaginary pages that could have been written, but they are not perfect final manuscripts. Instead, these manuscripts are torn, half-erased. They are material evidence of a cultural process typical of all human cultural history: the best ideas and plans in all genres of art were frequently never realized and remained only as notes and drafts. Or were they were never written down and therefore simply disappeared completely.
The text we can see in the images emphasizes the universality of this history. It looks like something that was written in some existing language, but actually it is not: AI simulates general patterns of grammar, handwriting and hand sketching, as opposed to any concrete language.